Underneath The Christmas Tree
by Draco the Lizard
Summary: Neil has a rather unusual and unexpected but not unwelcome present he wants for Christmas. Scott/Neil.


It was the middle of June when Scott got an e-mail from his son. This wasn't unusual, they had taken to using the internet to keep in touch, but this e-mail had come a little soon after his last one.

And no wonder, Scott thought as he read the e-mail. Neil and Laura were going to divorce, and they had told Charlie that they had simply grown apart and were going to split up as friends. He hoped the divorce wouldn't be too rough on the kids, but if Laura and Neil did remain friendly, Lucy and Charlie would be fine.

***

His worries were soothed in the following months, as Charlie e-mailed him with news, and that Lucy seemed to be taking it well, especially since Neil had found a place only a few blocks away. Scott was pleased that it wasn't going to ruin their Christmas, but maybe he should give Lucy an extra special gift, just in case.

He was mulling this over as he was checking the naughty and nice list, which was easily the worst part of the job, and Bernard and Curtis constantly had to nag him to do it. He hated paperwork, but at least this was the only paperwork that came with this job.

As he came to Neil Miller's name, he paused. For some reason he couldn't get a fix on whether Neil had been naughty or nice. He knew the man, and he had been 'nice' all the previous years, so why was there suddenly the niggling doubt?

He called for Bernard, who was less surprised.

"You get that with adults sometimes," the elf explained. "They feel bad over something they don't need to feel bad over, so they feel like they don't deserve presents."

"Maybe he feels bad about the divorce," Scott mused. "Even if the others are taking it well."

"It could be all sorts of things. And, well, I wouldn't normally suggest this, but since you know him personally, you might want to visit him to see what's bothering him," Bernard said.

Scott looked at him. Bernard wouldn't suggest leaving the North Pole unless he really thought it was necessary. "Are you sure that's a good idea? After what happened last time with the toy Santa. And it's a busy time."

Bernard shrugged. "I know, but it'd only be for one evening. Comet's able to get you there and back. But please remember to return in time, okay?" The elf looked worried, and with good reason.

***

Scott felt a bit odd about simply entering Neil's new house through the chimney. Granted, he was Santa Claus and thus allowed to do such things, but he and Neil had never really been the best of friends. Of course, over the years they had learned to get along, and Neil had helped him out last time when he needed to find a wife, but he wasn't sure if Neil wanted to talk to him about his problems. Then again, if you couldn't share your problems with Santa, who could you share them with?

At least Neil seemed to take it well. He hadn't called the police, or run away. He was simply frozen on his sofa, a cup of coffee in his hands. "Scott?" he asked.

"I'm here as Santa, actually," Scott said. "I know this is a bit unexpected, and I'll understand if it's a bad time…"

"No, no, it's fine. Have a seat." Neil stood up. "Can I get you anything? Coffee? Or would you rather have some milk?"

"Milk would be good," Scott told him as he made himself comfortable on a chair.

"So, why did you drop by?" Neil called from the kitchen. "I really don't mind, but isn't this a busy time of the year for you?"

"Oh, you know, just checking up on some people," Scott replied.

Neil nodded when he came back with milk and a plate of cookies. "Let me guess, you visited Laura, Charlie and Lucy and figured that since I was in the neighbourhood, you might as well check up on me as well?"

Scott reached for a cookie. "What? No! I came here for you." He saw Neil look surprised. "Because, well, I was a bit worried. As Santa you learn a lot about people, and something told me you were feeling unhappy. Is it because of the divorce?"

Neil sighed as he sat back down on the sofa. "It's complicated."

"Neil, you don't need to feel bad or guilty about the divorce. Charlie is fine, and from what I hear, Laura and Lucy are fine as well," Scott told him. "When I divorced Laura, I felt bad too, and almost drove myself crazy with 'what if'. But divorces happen, and if you and Laura had stayed together, you only would have made yourselves unhappier."

"I know, trust me, I know. The divorce was for the best. We were friends more than anything else," Neil explained. "And we still get along fine. Lucy visits a lot, and Charlie drops by every now and then too."

"Oh, well, that's good," Scott said. So if it wasn't the divorce, what was it?

"But how are you? Things working out with Mrs. Claus?" Neil asked, suddenly switching the subject.

Scott looked at his milk. "Not as well as I hoped, but I suppose that's to be expected when you get married after only knowing each other for a month. Should've known, really."

"Oh," Neil replied. "That's – I'm sorry to hear that."

Scott shrugged. "She just didn't took to my sudden change. I can't blame her, really. And life on the North Pole just wasn't for her. She felt really bad about it, but we keep in touch and she says she's happier now. We're still married, technically, but since it's only valid on the Pole, she's free to find another man."

Neil nodded. "I see. If you don't mind me saying, you don't seem very upset about it."

"Well, you know how it is, you meet someone, you think you love them and after a few months you discover that they have annoying habits and that you just don't have as much in common as you thought. It happens, and she was okay with remaining married so that I can continue being Santa Claus," Scott explained. He was quite happy with the arrangement, since it worked for both of them.

"Ah, so no pressure on you to find a new wife then?"

Scott grinned. "No, not at all. The bachelor-lifestyle agrees with me. But how about you? If you're not feeling bad about the divorce, what is it? It's gotta be something big."

Neil avoided his eyes. "Sometimes I wonder how much you know since you became Santa."

"I know enough," Scott said. "I know you're feeling bad or guilty about something. I know you feel guilty enough to confuse me. I didn't know whether to put you on the naughty or nice list! That's some big guilt you got going there."

"I'm sorry my feelings kept you from doing your job," Neil said rather stiffly. "I'll try not to make it bother you again."

"I didn't come here for my job, I came here for you. Look, you were a big help in finding me a wife, I owe you one. And besides, I'm Santa. I can't *not* worry when someone feels like they don't deserve presents when they do," Scott said. "I know that. You might feel bad, but you don't need to. So I came here to help you realise that you don't need to feel whatever it is you're feeling!"

Neil took another sip of his coffee. "That's easier said than done."

"Which is why I came here. You were a shrink, right? You have to admit that talking about your problems helps to deal with them," Scott said, hoping that would get Neil to open up.

"I know, but it's just – it's weird to talk to you about it," Neil looked up.

"Ah, but who better to talk to than Santa!" Scott said jovially. "I'd ask you to sit on my lap, but that might be a little too weird for you."

Neil gave him a tight smile. "If you say so." He remained silent for a little while, as if he didn't know where to begin. "You know when you fall in love with someone, and it's just not unrequited, but also inappropriate?"

"So that's your problem?" Scott asked. "Unanswered love? What's the problem? Is she married?"

"He," said Neil, stressing the word, "is unavailable."

"Oh." Scott was a bit surprised at this sudden revelation. "I can see how, er, that might make you feel bad, but it's not like you can control your feelings."

"I know, but I tried anyway. That's why I really divorced Laura." When he looks at Scott, his eyes are wild. "Please, don't tell Charlie or Lucy, they don't need to know."

"They won't hear it from me," Scott promised. "Santa confidentiality."

Neil gave a sigh of relief. "It's good to get it off my chest though. It's not really something I can share with my friends. They keep trying to set me up with single women they know, but it doesn't help. I gave it a shot, but – " He broke off, and sighed again. "It doesn't work."

Scott leaned forward, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Neil, I think you need to tell him. Or someone else who isn't me. You can't continue to feel guilty like this, it's not good for you."

Neil looked scared and worried. "What if he hates me?"

"Do what you did when a girl didn't like you back. You avoid them," Scott said. "Might be a problem if they're a good friend though."

"But you're right in that I should do something. And what better time than at the end of the year, so that I can make a fresh start in the new," Neil said, and smiled.

"You never know, might turn out better than you hoped," Scott replied. He stood up. "But I have to get going now, still plenty of work to do."

Neil nodded. "I bet. So, do I need to see you out?"

Scott grabbed his bag. "No, I have my own method." He smiled to himself as he watched Neil's look of surprise as he disappeared up the chimney. He hoped he had done the other man some good.

***

He had almost forgotten about the whole thing once he had checked Neil's name on the naughty or nice list. It was always so busy the few days before Christmas that he hardly had the time to think at all.

"Santa!"

Scott turned around from supervising the toys to see what Bernard had to tell him. "What is it?"

"There's a letter for you," the elf said, holding out an envelope.

Scott didn't see how that was so surprising. "Give it to the letter elves, like we always do."

"It's a letter for *you*," Bernard said. "It's not just to Santa in general, it's for you as Santa."

He took the letter. "Okay, that is unusual." He walked back to his office to enjoy some nice hot cocoa whilst reading the letter.

***

The cocoa went cold. This was hardly surprising, as the letter and the list were rather unusual. The fact that a line from a song was used wasn't what surprised him, children often did that, but this letter wasn't from a child, and this song had never been used in a wish list that he knew of.

'All I want for Christmas is you.

Neil'

Scott stared at the letter, and considered it. He was Santa, and Neil had been nice, so technically, he should get his gift. And why not? Things hadn't worked out with Carol, Neil clearly didn't have a problem with him being Santa, and having a shrink on the North Pole might be helpful. Neil was a nice, helpful guy. Not bad-looking. It could work.

"Curtis!"

"Yes, Santa?"

"What does the handbook say about Santa Claus bringing a Mr. Claus with him?"

Curtis looked surprised for a moment. "Well, I, er, don't think it says anything, Santa."

"So it's not against the rules?" he asked.

"Not technically, no," Curtis replied, still looking a bit confused.

"Good." Scott nodded to himself, happy to have sorted this out.


End file.
